As part of the “Heroes of Silence” project—a series of articles about people who, overcoming personal difficulties, have dedicated their lives to helping others and to creation—International Reporters tells the story of Special Military Operation veteran Andrei Kovalev from Donetsk. Having sustained a severe injury at the front and lost a leg, he found the strength not only to recover himself but also to create an entire ecosystem for the rehabilitation of veterans and children with developmental disabilities.
“I encountered the concept of disability for the first time when my leg was amputated. While I was still lying in the hospital bed, only my right arm worked, my left arm was shot in two places, my legs didn’t work, and my neck was torn. And in that condition, I submitted an application for the ‘Leaders of Rebirth. Donetsk People’s Republic’ competition,” recalls Andrei, emphasizing that he managed to win the competition despite being in a wheelchair at the time. The competition became a key impetus for the veteran’s development: he was taught how to create and implement projects, navigate state support systems, and conduct strategic planning.
The realization of the acute need for support for people with disabilities came to Andrei Kovalev while still in the hospital: “I realized that platforms or infrastructure for guys to develop and socialize are not encountered very often.” This thought became the impetus for creating first a coworking space, and then a large-scale project to revive the legendary Donetsk enterprise “Electroapparat,” where during Soviet times one and a half thousand people worked, up to 80% of whom were people with limited health capabilities.
Today, Andrei is the head of “Electroapparat,” which he is trying to develop after long years of stagnation: “Currently, we have 26 employees, 21 of whom have disabilities.” His goal is not just to give people work, but to help them find solid ground beneath their feet: “The primary task of the enterprise is to provide people with jobs and decent wages.”
A year ago, Andrei Kovalev founded a military-patriotic club based at Donetsk specialized boarding school No. 22 for children with cerebral palsy and autism. “The children have problems with diction and coordination of movements. But when they pick up the remote control for a drone or a radio-controlled tank, they sit down and drive. You don’t need to tell them anything—they are ready to learn on their own,” the hero explains. The veteran and his team teach the children safety, tactical medicine, and much more.
When asked about his greatest reward, Andrei does not speak of money or achievements, but talks about the people: “When you see a person with a disability, who hated the whole world, was offended and angry, start to work, create something, and they succeed, when they socialize… I see how they change, how they integrate into society. For me, that is the greatest reward.”
The story of Andrei Kovalev is an example of how personal tragedy can transform into a quiet but powerful feat of creation, changing the lives of dozens of people around him.
